Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has raised concerns about the apparent lack of interest in the religious motivation behind the brutal murder of three members of a Christian family in India.
Jitendra Soren, his wife Malati and their 15-year-old daughter were murdered on 25 January, allegedly by members of their extended family who objected to their conversion to Christianity.
The Soren family, who lived in the village of Nialijharan, Odisha state, converted around a year ago. In the weeks leading up to the murder family members reportedly issued death threats, saying that if the Sorens continued going to church they would be killed. They also accused the Sorens of practising black magic.
On the day of the murders, Jitendra Soren’s brothers and nephews turned up at their house and repeated the accusations of black magic. They also alleged that other family members were having health problems due to the Soren’s church attendance.
Mr Soren denied such claims and was pushed to the ground. His daughter tried to intervene but was killed by a blow from an axe. Mrs Soren was also killed while trying to save her daughter. Mr Soren was killed while attempting to escape.
A younger daughter managed to escape the attack. The Sorens also had an older daughter, who is married, and a son who was away studying. The surviving members of the family are currently in hiding with a family friend.
Police have filed a First Information Report, which is needed for an investigation to begin, but have characterised the incident as a dispute over land, rather than an act of anti-Christian bigotry.
Mervyn Thomas, founder and president of CSW, said, “The brutal murder of Jitendra Soren, his wife Malati, and their young daughter is a chilling reminder of the extreme vulnerability faced by religious minorities in Odisha and across India.
"To dismiss this horrific act as a mere land dispute is not only a distortion of the facts but a profound injustice to the survivors who witnessed their family being targeted for their faith.
“CSW calls upon the authorities to ensure that the First Information Report accurately reflects the anti-Christian animus and the false allegations of black magic that fuelled this attack. Justice cannot be served if the motive is obscured."
He called on the government to "act immediately" to protect the surviving children and "address the rising tide of intolerance that continues to claim lives in tribal communities".
He added, "India cannot allow a culture of impunity to take root where changing one's faith becomes a death sentence.”
